Behind our B Corp certification: What we learned and why it matters

Achieving B Corp certification is more than an award—it’s a reflection of a company’s values, structure, and long-term commitments. For NAI Elliott, the certification process was an opportunity to evaluate who we are as a firm, how we operate, and how we can create meaningful, positive impact in commercial real estate.

This post takes you behind the certification process, highlighting what we learned, what we strengthened, and why the journey was as valuable as the outcome.

Honoring a Legacy of Responsible Real Estate

Our drive to pursue B Corp certification didn’t start in a conference room—it started with one of our founders, Marna “Moe” Elliott. Moe believed deeply that real estate firms have responsibilities far beyond transactions. They shape communities, influence how people experience their cities, and serve as stewards of buildings, businesses, and relationships.

As Director of Corporate Operations Ash Mitchell, who helped lead our certification effort, put it:

“I’m genuinely proud to be part of an organization that takes seriously what it means to be responsible real estate advisors. This mindset goes back to Moe, who pushed us toward B Corp to recognize the impact of our work with clients, staff, tenants, and our local community.”

Our certification is one more step forward in honoring that legacy.

Setting an Ambitious Goal: Pass on the First Try

Fewer than half of companies pass B Lab’s verification on their first attempt.

We set the goal anyway.

And then we built a plan to make it possible.

Our teams dug into every question, policy, and datapoint within the B Impact Assessment. We quickly realized something: it wasn’t enough to answer questions—we needed to build the infrastructure behind those answers.

That meant:

• Documenting processes that had previously lived in institutional knowledge
• Formalizing policies we already followed but had never codified
• Collecting and organizing operational data in ways that supported long-term transparency
• In some cases, enhancing policies to better align with our values and our aspirations

Ash described our approach clearly:

“We dug in, worked through every challenge, and strengthened our systems so that when B Lab asked for data or documentation, we weren’t scrambling.”

Our Approach: Overprepare, Then Prepare Some More

The rigor of B Lab’s verification process surprised even us—and we anticipated a high bar.

“B Lab’s verification process is no joke,” Ash shared. “It is rigorous in the best possible way. I can’t imagine going into it any less prepared than we did.”

To ensure we were fully ready:

• We uploaded supporting evidence for every point—not just the ones we expected to be reviewed.
• We cross-checked datasets across departments to ensure accuracy.
• We involved leadership, HR, property management, operations, and sustainability partnerships to verify information.
• And most importantly, we refined structures to support this work long-term, not just to pass an assessment.

It wasn’t about chasing points.

It was about building a stronger business.

What We Discovered and Improved Along the Way

One of the most meaningful outcomes of the process was the clarity it brought to areas where we were doing well—and areas where we had room to grow.

1. Strengthening Sustainability Efforts

We reevaluated how we measure environmental impact across managed properties and internal operations, identifying opportunities for more consistent tracking and improvement.

2. Deepening Employee Engagement

The certification prompted new conversations about wellness, development, clarity of expectations, and stronger documentation of the programs we already had in place.

3. Community Impact Infrastructure

While community engagement has long been part of NAI Elliott’s DNA, the process helped us formalize how we track and evaluate our contributions.

4. Policy Formalization

Many of our values-driven practices existed culturally but lacked formal documentation. Certification helped us capture these best practices in writing, ensuring consistency and sustainability.

Balancing People, Planet, and Profit in CRE

Commercial real estate has massive influence—on small businesses, neighborhoods, city infrastructure, and the people who interact with our spaces every day.

The B Corp process reinforced what we’ve long believed:

Responsible real estate shouldn’t require choosing between doing what benefits people and place together.

The assessment framework helped us recalibrate how we measure success across three dimensions:

• People — staff, clients, tenants, and the broader community
• Planet — environmental stewardship and resource responsibility
• Profit — financial sustainability and value for clients

It challenged us to elevate the systems that support these values, turning commitments into measurable practices.

A Milestone in Honor of Moe

Perhaps the most meaningful moment came when we received the confirmation: we passed on our first attempt.

Ash shared the sentiment many of us felt:

“I wish Moe could be here to see the company reach this milestone. We’re thrilled to achieve this in her honor.”

Her belief in responsible, people-first real estate is foundational to who we are—and B Corp certification is an extension of that ethos.

Sharing What We Learned

We know many CRE firms are exploring what responsible growth looks like in a rapidly changing industry. Our hope is that by sharing our process, we can help others begin or continue their journey—whether toward certification or simply toward stronger, more values-driven operations.

If you’re interested in learning more about our B Corp experience, or if your firm is considering certification, we’re always open to connecting and sharing what we’ve learned.